Luminaires with automated and remotely controllable functionality are well known in the entertainment and architectural lighting markets. Such products are commonly used in theatres, television studios, concerts, theme parks, night clubs, and other venues. A typical product will commonly provide control over the pan and tilt functions of the luminaire allowing the operator to control the direction the luminaire is pointing and thus the position of the light beam on the stage or in the studio. Typically, this position control is done via control of the luminaire's position in two orthogonal rotational axes usually referred to as pan and tilt. Many products provide control over other parameters such as the intensity, color, focus, beam size, beam shape, and beam pattern. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical multiparameter automated luminaire system 10. These systems typically include a plurality of multiparameter automated luminaires 12 which typically each contain on-board a light source (not shown), light modulation devices, electric motors coupled to mechanical drives systems, and control electronics (not shown). In addition to being connected to mains power either directly or through a power distribution system (not shown), each luminaire 12 is connected is series or in parallel via data link 14 to one or more control desks 15. An operator typically controls the automated luminaire system 10 through the control desk 15.
An optical effect that is commonly used in prior art automated luminaires is often referred to as a prism. This is typically a glass or plastic device placed at a point in the optical train such that it converts a single image produced by the beam color, size, shape, and pattern optical systems into multiple beams for display. For example, a linear prism may convert a single beam into a linear array of identical beams. A diagrammatic example of the effects produced by a prior art prism optical system is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, a single image 20 produced by the beam color, size, shape, and pattern optical systems passes through a prism 21a, resulting in multiple copies of the image 20 as output images 22a. The prism 21a may be rotated as indicated by the arc 23, causing a corresponding rotation in the array of output images as indicated by the arc 24. FIG. 3 shows the same optical system and prism 21a, but with the prism 21a rotated to a new position, resulting in a corresponding rotation of the output images 22b. Image 20 is here shown for clarity as a simple circular image; however, the image 20 may be any image, complex or simple, as produced by the automated luminaire, in particular it may have a shape defined by patterns or gobos in the optical train.
In further prior art systems the prism may be different shapes and may be capable of being inserted or removed from the light beam automatically. It may further be possible to select different prisms producing different effects for insertion in the beam. However, the prior art systems are only capable of introducing a single prism at one time.
It would be advantageous to provide a system for an automated luminaire that was capable of introducing a plurality of prisms into the optical effect chain simultaneously such that the effects concatenate. It would further be advantageous to be able to selectively and cooperatively coordinate the insertion, position, and rotation of the plurality of prisms to produce new dynamic lighting effects.